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Fox’s "Temptation Island" proved it was more than a one-night stand Wednesday night, upping its ratings by 10 percent from last week and winning the 9 p.m. hour among both households and adults 18-49. The controversial show beat its closest household competitor, a repeat of NBC’s "The West Wing," by two shares and its closest adult 18-49 competitors, ABC’s "Drew Carey" and "Spin City," by over 4 ratings points. Fox handily won the night among adults 18-49, though NBC won households with a strengthening "Ed" and a new episode of "Law and Order." CBS continued to struggle with "Bette" and "Welcome to New York" and finished fourth for the night. The preliminary Nielsen household rating and share and adult 18-49 rating for Wednesday night were: NBC 10.2/16 and 5.8, ABC 9.7/15 and 5.1, Fox 9.3/14 and 7.7, and CBS 6.3/10 and 3.0.
Fox: OK, no more 'Island' promos in family time
"Temptation Island" may have earned itself a new distinction: the first primetime show ever that’s so naughty, even the commercials are too lascivious for innocent children to watch. That was the message of a letter from FCC commissioner Gloria Tristani to Rupert Murdoch, owner of Fox Television parent News Corp. Tristani said that she had received a large number of complaints from parents that promotional spots for "Island," a show in which sexy singles try to seduce committed couples into breaking up, were running during "family-oriented" programming. Fox, which last year banned commercials for R-rated movies during family shows, responded with a promise: No more "Island" promos during "The Simpsons," "Malcolm in the Middle," "King of the Hill" and "Futurama." Presumably they're still okay during "Cheating Spouses Caught on Tape."
Trekkie jailed for stalking 'Voyager's' Ryan
A "Star Trek" fan, obsessive? Who’da thunk? A 22-year-old man has been ordered to stand trial this week after being arrested last November for harassing "Star Trek: Voyager" actress Jeri Ryan. The man, Marlon Pagtakhan, will face charges of stalking and extortion for following the actress and making threats against her. As the comely human-alien hybrid Seven of Nine on "Voyager," Ryan, 32, has been the subject of countless lurid role-playing games and chat-room discussions for the last few years. But soon her fans, even the most obsessive Trekkies, will be able to enjoy Ryan in reruns only: "Voyager" ends its run May 23 with a two-hour series finale on UPN.
New Yorker boosts Kahn to publisher
With his boss having flown the coop, New Yorker associate publisher David Kahn has gotten the nod from Conde Nast higher-ups. He's been named publisher of the magazine, succeeding David Carey, who jumped earlier this week after a job offer from Gruner + Jahr. Kahn has overseen the magazine's sales activities in the U.S. since May 1999. Previously, he served at Meigher Communications' Saveur magazine as associate publisher and then publisher. Before that, he was the founding publisher of Worth magazine from 1990 to 1992. Carey had been publisher of the New Yorker since 1998. At Gruner & Jahr, he will serve as head of the business division, overseeing newly acquired titles Inc. and Fast Company.
'South Park' pair tone down Bush parody
Anyone who was looking forward to seeing George Bush's twin daughters parodied as a couple of bisexual vixens is going to be disappointed: Under pressure from the President-Elect and his supporters, Comedy Central will likely make "South Park" creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker take the twins, Jenna and Barbara, out of their forthcoming White House send-up, "That's My Bush." The network is reportedly sympathetic to pleas from parents George W. and Laura Bush to allow the girls their privacy, as was the media custom with Chelsea Clinton. Comedy Central executives also say they've gotten numerous emails from viewers to the same effect. Expect the network to override protests from Parker and Stone and expunge the Bush girls from the series, which debuts in May.
'Survivor 2' player joins Entertainment Weekly
When Entertainment Weekly hired Mitchell Olson last summer to work in the magazine’s business department, he was just another unknown temp. That was before he won a spot as a contestant on CBS’s highly-anticipated upcoming "Survivor: The Australian Outback." When it came time to shoot the series, Olson disappeared from the magazine's offices with no explanation, according to a report in Inside.com. Not surprisingly, when Olson, after returning home to New Jersey, went looking for employment again, EW jumped at the chance to have a "Survivor" contestant on the payroll. But don’t expect a "Survivor" behind-the-scenes exposé anytime soon: If and when Olson does decide to share his story with readers, he'll have to get clearance from CBS first.
Super Bowl fad: Team-colored nose strips?
Viewers who watch this year’s Super Bowl on high-definition television sets may be the first to catch a glimpse of a never-before seen product. Look really close at the players' faces, behind the face masks, above the mouth guards, just below the eyeblack. That’s where some of them may be sporting new team-colored Breathe Right Nasal Strips. While other fans may celebrate by doing keg stands or overturning parked cars, Breathe Right manufacturer CNS is getting in the spirit by introducing new colors for the adhesive breathing aid. "Creating special nasal strips for Super Bowl XXXV is Breathe Right’s way of honoring this year’s competing teams," says CNS marketing director Leah Stevenson. But don’t get too excited, all you congested Ravens and Giants fans: The team-colored strips are being manufactured as a limited edition, and they’re not available in stores.
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